Thursday

Apr 18, 2019 at 9:44 AMApr 18, 2019 at 9:44 AM

FRIDAY

Next Saluda Train Tales features Bob Loehne

According torailroad historian Bob Loehne, the mountain goats gave up on the Blue Ridge and head.ed west, but the railroads, either for the big money or the love of washed out mainlines, chose to stick around. During Saluda Train Tales on Friday, Loehne will take a close look at three slippery and downright terrific mountain railroad grades.

These three mountain routes were recognized as personal and business necessities, especially to connect with Raleigh, South Carolina and Ohio, as well as access to coal. Loehne will describe to the audience the distinctions between the three railroad grades and why they are significant to railroad history.

Saluda Train Tales is a free monthly event to educate the community in the importance of Saluda's railroad history and the Saluda Grade. These events are at the Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W Main Street, Saluda. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with presentation from 7-8:30 p.m. The events are free and voluntary donations are appreciated.

FRIDAY

The Sliding Rockers hit 185 King Street

It all started at the now defunct Essence of Thyme coffeshop in Brevard about eight or nine years ago during the Folk Jam USA weekly open jam there. Buddy and Norm met and eventually found themselves self-unemployed in 2008 with spare time. Why not waste these non-billable hours playing music?

Through various affiliations and conglomerations, this duo found other like-minded musicians in the Greater Blantyre to form The Sliding Rockers in 2010.

Featruring six vocalist, two percussuinists, keyboards and three multi-instrumentalists The Sliding Rockers range from taught, sparse acoustic Neil Young covers to Steely Dan and Jimi Hendrix tunes with extended solos.

They will play Friday at 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Hammered Dulcimer music at White Horse

Joshua Messick sees himself foremost as a composer who uses hammered dulcimer as his sound palette, drawing on Celtic, World, Renaissance, Folk and Classical influences. Since moving to the Asheville area, he’s established a following as a virtuosic innovator on the ancient multi-stringed instrument.

Messick will perform his original music along with a few classics at White Horse Black Mountain on Saturday at 8p.m. He will be joined by his ensemble composed of some of the area’s most versatile and creative players – his wife Stephanie Messick on Celtic harp, Ryan Knott on cello, Zack Page on Bass and James Kylen on percussion. The ensemble translates the symphonic sweep of Messick’s musical vision into vibrant reality.

The hammered dulcimer, a forerunner of the piano, has its roots in the ancient Middle East, but travelers introduced it into many parts of Asia and Europe, and Europeans brought it to America. Unlike the unrelated Appalachian dulcimer, the trapezoidal body carries many pairs of strings which are struck by small hammers, producing percussive sounds that can range from powerful to ethereal.

Tickets are $20 advance/ $22 door. Advance tickets are available online at /www.whitehorseblackmountain.com

STARTING SATURDAY

The Sandburg Home celebrates National Park Week

The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site will offer a variety of ways to celebrate National Park Week (April 20-28). On Saturday, visitors will receive free tours of the Sandburg Home. On April 24 and April 25, museum staff will host volunteer open houses to recruit people for their new “Sandburg Stewards” program. The park will close out the week with a community poetry reading of Sandburg’s “The People, Yes,” on Saturday, April 27.

Open houses for potential “Sandburg Steward” volunteers will occur on April 24, from 2-4 p.m. or on April 25, from 10 a.m.-noon. “Sandburg Stewards” will assist visitors on house tours and help protect the museum collection. The open house will be held in the garage behind the Sandburg Home. “The new Sandburg Stewards program is perfect for people who want to assist in the house, but perhaps do not want to lead tours,” said superintendent Polly Angelakis. “The program is also ideal for people who wish to learn more about how we care for priceless museum objects.”

The Community Poetry Reading of “The People, Yes” will be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 27, at the park amphitheater. “The People, Yes” is a book-length poem that lauds, in plain spoken language, the perseverance of the American people. It references American history, culture, and common stories. The community is invited to read 5-minute segments of the poem throughout the day. Learn more and sign up at www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/tpy.htm.

The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park Service. The park is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 225 on Little River Road, and is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Weekends are very crowded and our parking lots fill up quickly. If you can, please visit on a weekday. For parking options visit www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/parking.htm. For further information telephone 828-693-4178, or visit our website at www.nps.gov/carl

SATURDAY

Southern Culture on the Skids comes to The Grey Eagle

Southern Culture On The Skids has been consistently recording and touring around the world since its inception in 1983, when Rick Miller was a grad student at UNC-Chapel Hill. The current lineup (Dave Hartman - drums; Mary Huff - bass and vocals; Rick Miller - guitar and vocals) has been playing together for more than 30 years.

They will perform Saturday at The Grey Eagle at 9 p.m.

“Bootleggers Choice” is the brand new album from Southern Culture On The Skids. The album features 16 all-new recordings of the most requested songs from the band’s long out-of-print major label releases.

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